Pacific-10 Conference football coaches were touting their bold nonconference schedules Thursday, and rightfully so for scheduling games with Notre Dame, Penn State, Georgia, Hawaii, BYU, Tennessee, Ohio State and Oklahoma, among other powers.

But in order for every team not named USC to gain national prominence, it must produce wins in those games.

Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson was happy to schedule Georgia.

“Teams in the Pac-10 are starting to play games like that,” he said. “If we want to get national prominence – obviously USC has national prominence – for the league we have to do that. I’d like to play a game like that once a year, all at home if we could. To me, it puts you on a national stage against a great conference and it’s going to be very interesting to see what happens.”

The sheer strength of schedule has commissioner Tom Hansen beaming. It was the first thing he discussed at the conference’s annual media day.

“I think something of which we should be proud is our nonconference schedule,” Hansen said. “We’ll put a great product on the field. Playing people like Penn State and BYU on the road, we don’t go lightly on the nonconference schedule whatsoever.”

Washington coach Tyrone Willingham believes his team leads the pack in strength of schedule, with nonconference games against BYU, Oklahoma and Notre Dame. Oregon State plays at Penn State in its second game. Cal opens with Michigan State.

“I like those games for our team,” Oregon State coach Mike Riley said. “It’s obviously a major challenge. It’s a tremendous opportunity, that’s the way I look at it. You hope it can get your ready for the tough play you get throughout our league. For the players in the program and players maybe considering our program, I think games like that are very good.”

Oregon coach Mike Bellotti is the longest-tenured coach in the Pac-10 as he begins his 14 th season, and he believes there’s still work to do as far as the conference’s image on the other side of the country.

“I don’t think it’s changed a great deal,” he said. “I think we’re still fighting the battles for respect with the East Coast bias. I think it is and can be the best conference in the nation.”

Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh said he believes Pac-10 teams will prove their mettle within the conference.

“This conference is one of the best in the country,” Harbaugh said. “This is world-class football at the highest level. It’s a points-generated conference. You’ve got to score points to be successful. Whoever wins this conference are strong men. This is a mighty man’s conference. It’s very physical.”

Second to USC: Erickson led Arizona State to a share of the conference title with USC last year, but he wasn’t one to argue with the Pac-10 preseason media poll results, in which USC finished first (with 38 of the 39 first-place votes) and Arizona State second.

“You don’t pay any attention to that,” he said. “One thing about how they rate you is that it’s over the week when we start practice. Our league is so competitive. ‘SC has set a high standard. That’s the reality of it. Anybody can beat anybody, that’s why it’s such a great league. To pick who will be second is very difficult.”

Yes, you: Last year, Harbaugh made his debut as Stanford’s coach with a bold statement on media day, saying USC was perhaps the best college football team ever. It caused quite a stir, but Harbaugh must have a short-term memory. Asked if he had any bulletin-board material this year, Harbaugh said: “Have I had any bulletin-board fodder? I didn’t know I was a bulletin-board guy.”

Ducks tragedy: Last week, Oregon redshirt freshman Todd Doxey drowned in a swimming accident. Mike Bellotti said the Ducks have dedicated the season to Doxey, who was named the scout team player of the week four consecutive weeks last season.

“As a team and family, we mourn that,” Bellotti said. “You don’t realize how great some people are until you see the lives they’ve touched and the influence on the team and those he’s touched around us. Todd will be with us forever in our hearts. Our players are dedicating the season to his memory.”

Play calling reversal: Cal coach Jeff Tedford has won’t be calling the plays this year, as he did last year. He’ll turn those duties over to offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti.

“Over our tenure I’ve been the sole play caller and a role player in play calling,” he said. “Last season, I was the sole play caller and I felt I needed to go back to the other role so I could focus on doing a better job as my role as head coach. I’ll still be involved in game planning, but it’s very difficult to do it all and put your hand on the pulse of the team when you’re the play caller. I need to do a better job of being a head coach and it will free me up a little bit.”

Longshore in for the long haul: Cal quarterback Nate Longshore (Canyon of Canyon Country), who suffered a sprained ankle last year and played in one game in 2005 due to injury, will have to work to maintain the quarterback job.

“We feel we’re in a great situation,” Tedford said. “Obviously, Nate has won a lot of games for us and is a very talented guy. Kevin Riley came in last season and had a couple of opportunities in the Oregon State game and the bowl game. I feel we have a lot of depth. We’ll pick a starter probably the week of the first game. It may take both of them to achieve our goals this year.”